Batman Beyond: Moral & Fatal Destruction
by Stone-Writes-Online
Summary: Maybe the end of Batman if this old unseen villian can defeat his moral side.
1. Batman Beyond: Moral & Fatal Destruction...

Batman Beyond Moral & Fatal Destruction -Chapter ONE-  
  
-Chapter One-  
  
Crime in the city came to a halt for period of time. It was enough to trouble the old Bruce Wayne. It would seem all that evil has vanished. Looking down city streets, in the alleys, and deep in the shadows, only petty crimes take place, nothing the young Batman can't stop.  
  
The south side of Gothem, is a sewer lid. A sewer lid that has been trampled on and completely ignored. No one would think it was of any use. But it was. Within the sewer lid was a sewer that led to debts of Gothem. No one would think to follow the sewer for it had the odor no one could stand. But someone followed it. Someone followed it to the end then turned the corner to the end. And kept going until they came to a cellar door. A cellar door that hadn't been used in centuries. They continued down the stairs where little to no electricity flickered but mostly stayed off.  
  
She stayed in the light, not trusting what the shadows held. Light footsteps were heard enough to wake the owner of that sewer as she turned another corner to the never ending tunnel. But once at the end, she made a left, taking a flight of stairs down. Down, to the center of where the evil was held. The evil that no longer terrorized Gothem City.  
  
"You have it?" the deep voice asked in the darkness of the small room.  
  
"Of course," the young woman spoke back. She placed the small computerized disk on the only stand in the room that had light on it. She watched as it rose and disappeared in the dark. Five shiny gold disks appeared, making a neat stack on the stand. "Sweetness," she spoke, taking them. "Unlimited cash."  
  
"What do you know of him?" he continued to question her.  
  
She didn't seem to interested in him anymore. Her credit cards would be paid for easily. "I dunno. I've seen him once or twice. He's slim, kinda muscular, you know? Fights like a trained black belt, I guess. Agile. Talks a lot, too." She heard him give a low grunt. "Can I go?" He gave another low grunt. "Take that as a yes." She turned, making her exit.  
  
Breathing slowly, the words she used to describe him wasn't what he had in mind. Deeper in the darkness a man sat at a computer. His eyes glowed gold as his mind worked twice as fast, punching in calculations. He turned to the disk, lifting it and placing it in the computer slot. Having not moved a finger, he blinked slowly. "You've got young blood doing your work, Batman," he sneered.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
School was almost out. Almost. But it was taking forever in the process. Three weeks felt like ten years to Terry McGinnis. He must have checked his watch twenty times in the past ten minutes. Rubbing his dark brown eyes awake, Terry gave a sigh.  
  
"If Geometry is so boring to you, Mr. McGinnis, maybe you'd like to tell us what you got for number four," the teacher said, smacking her long ruler on his desk.  
  
Terry shot up, fumbling with his paper. The class was boring but that didn't mean he wanted to tell his wrong answers. "Number four?" He flipped the sheet over, running his finger down the lines. "Uhm, ninety-nine pie." The look the old hag gave him told him he might have been off a little. She blinked several times, her beady eyes piercing through her bifocals.  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked, walking to the projector.  
  
"My paper says so."  
  
"Maybe if you weren't always daydreaming about Dana, you'd notice it's negative five pie."  
  
Terry didn't care if it was negative two hundred pie, he wanted out of the class. He did turn a tint of red in the cheeks when she had to mention his personal life to the class. He hadn't been thinking of Dana the whole class period. "I wasn't," he mumbled in disgust.  
  
"What was that?" she came back.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Well, Mr. McGinnis, why don't you share number five with us."  
  
The teacher seemed to enjoy harassing him. He looked down at his paper. His own chicken scratch was barely readable. "Fifteen point four pie." She did it again; gave that look. "Or not."  
  
"I think he meant thirty-two even," a girl's voice spoke up from the opposite side.  
  
Terry looked her way to be met by the new girl's boastful smile as the teacher thanked her for listening and paying attention unlike others. He narrowed his eyes. Whoever she was didn't bother him.  
  
"Is that what you meant?" the teacher scolded him.  
  
"If it's the right answer," he said back to her. He looked back over at the girl as she pushed her brown hair behind her tanned shoulder.  
  
The bell rang.  
  
"Thank goodness," he groaned, sitting up. Terry gathered his books, glad to be leaving the class. It was lunch time. His stomach told him so. Making one last glance at the girl who still buttered the teacher up with her smartness, Terry walked out of the class. He was met by his charming girl.  
  
"Hey handsome," Dana Tan grinned, wrapping her fair skinned arm around his.  
  
Terry watched her pass a note to a student walking back, in exchange for a note she stuck in her back pocket of her black flares. "Hey Dana."  
  
"Having a bad day?" she asked, her hand around his arm, sliding down to grab his hand.  
  
"Pretty much. It's that new girl. She showed me up. Again. I think she gets a pleasure out of it." Terry didn't bother rambling on about her. Dana didn't seem interested. She even brushed it off to talk about her chemistry exam and the partner she had who wouldn't stop flirting with her. Terry was ready for school to end. He got used to Dana brushing the new girl off.  
  
"You hungry?" she asked, walking to the line with him.  
  
"Yeah. A little. I'm going for pizza. You?"  
  
"I think I'll get me a salad," she said, placing a hand on her stomach. "I gained weight this week."  
  
Terry watched her walk off. Dana never gained weight. He didn't know what she was talking about. But, learning from his girl, he brushed it off, getting a tray. By the time he got there, there were two plates of pizza. One smothered with cheese and two pepperoni and the other barely had enough to call cheese and five pepperoni. He reached out to grab the smothered cheese one when a tanned hand snatched it out of his reach. He looked up to see her. "You," was all he said.  
  
"Pleased to meet you too," she said back, walking on the opposite of the line.  
  
"Don't you think you get enough harassing of me in class?" he asked, grabbing the last plate.  
  
"Sorry," she rolled her eyes, taking out one crumpled bill and loose change.  
  
"You're short thirty cents," the lunch lady said.  
  
Terry watched her squirm for change. "Too bad," he said. He watched her sigh.  
  
"I'm sorry. Can you charge me?"  
  
He knew that answer. No charging within four weeks before school's out. He again, watched her squirm and finally put the tray up. The look in her eyes made him feel bad. They were watering. He never saw her about to cry. Instead, she walked out of the lunch room, gripping her journal tight in her hand. Terry took out to crisp dollar bills.  
  
"You could've help the girl," the lady said.  
  
He didn't answer. Taking his forty cents worth of change, Terry made his way to the lunch table Dana sat at.  
  
*~* Bank Vault 1, Night*~*  
  
"Hurry up!" the masked female whispered harshly. Breaking into banks wasn't exactly her plan for Gothem, but with crime not so heavy, it should be easy. She figured the police were relaxing, letting Batman handle the simple crime. She just hoped he would take the day off.  
  
"I almost got it," the younger kid said, his ear plastered against the lock.  
  
She turned to the entrance of the building. The door was left ajar so they could escape without setting the alarms off. Turning back to the kid, she sighed impatiently. "I could have barreled the blasted thing ten times by now," she whispered.  
  
The kid turned, glaring at the masked girl. "Hey! Chill out!" he practically yelled.  
  
"Raise that voice again and I'll rip your vocal chords out and you know I will," she hissed in a warning voice getting two inches from his face. She watched him squirm with fear and turned, dialing the combination. Within seconds, the safe clicked open.  
  
"Jackpot," he said with excitement.  
  
The black suited girl backed up to the entrance. She had a feeling they would have guests soon and not party guests either. A low humming was heard outside. Raising her hands slightly, she lifted in the air, landing in the shadows on a metal beam. Her eyes scanned the outside, taking note of a ship cloaking after the young Batman made his appearance.  
  
"I got it! I got it!" the boy came yelling out from the safe. "Hey! I- " he stopped short, looking around for her.  
  
Her eyes glowing feline gold with brown slits in the middle, she watched Batman turn invisible before entering. Her gold eyes spotted him out easily. She saw the disk in the boy's hand that had within a hundred or two.  
  
Batman entered, fully cloaked. He couldn't understand why a single boy was running around the bank yelling for someone. But he knew the silver disk in his hand was loaded with cash. As the boy started for the entrance, Batman put his invisible hand up, balled into a fist. The boy collided into it, falling unconscious. "Cake," he said. But there was another here. He not only sensed it, but with loaded money on a disk that ricocheted inches from him, the robber wouldn't leave. Not without a fight for the disk. Batman walked forward, bending to scoop the device. He was caught off guard when it started to rise.  
  
"Believe me Batman, I need it more then you," she said, her voice deeper then usual.  
  
He turned to see a woman, no a girl in a slick black suit with a tint of silver in the areas the light hit it, float down to the floor. Her brown hair settled evenly on her back. "Who are you?" he asked, trying to see through the slick black mask at the golden feral eyes that turned back to her dark brown.  
  
"It doesn't matter." She held her hand out, letting the disk come to her.  
  
Once quick movement, Batman flung a bat-a-rang her way, knocking the disk out of her grasp. "Sorry, but the bank needs it more." He squatted in time for the bat-a-rang to plant securely in his hand.  
  
She seemed a little surprised but didn't act on it. Raising her hand a little, she spoke, "Ever dealt with a New Mutant?"  
  
"A what?" Before she answered, he was thrown across the room with a single flip of her hand. The wall didn't make a great landing pad. He slid down it, his back bones aching. He watched her look around for the disk, her eyes flashing gold again. Turning invisible, Batman stood, walking to her. His hands were out, ready to grasp her shoulders when he was thrown back to the wall at a greater speed by her foot.  
  
"Don't you understand?" she hissed, facing him. "Invisible or not, you can run, but you can't hide." She raised her hand, the disk floating its way safely in her palm where she then looked down to her belt, placing it inside. When she looked up however, she saw he was gone. Her eyes scanned the area, turning around in time for his foot to make contact with her hip.  
  
"Oh, I understand," he said, doing a flip towards her. "You can't fight without using your powers." He was wrong. It was clear of that after she swiftly pushed him off her back and gave a hard left punch to his jaw.  
  
"I'm not a weakling!" she yelled. Police sirens were heard outside. She felt the disk in her belt, but felt the bruise it caused from the fall. "Adios," she said, lifting herself to the shadows then out the window that was jarred open.  
  
Batman wasn't going to wait around for the police to come in. He gathered himself, making a dive for the window. He used his cloak to make his way to the Batplane directly above the stampede of cars.  
  
*~*Batcave*~*  
  
The suit had to be peeled off Terry's back from the wounds.  
  
"She got you bad," Bruce Wayne smirked, laying the Batsuit on the table. He took a warm rag and dabbed it at the young boy's back.  
  
With a gasp of pain, he balled his fist. "You think I don't know that?" He waited till Bruce finished with him, then strained to sit up. His bones ached. "She spoke of New Mutants," he managed to say, trying to stretch.  
  
"New Mutants?" Bruce asked, logging into the computer.  
  
"Yeah. It was weird. She asked if I ever dealt with them then went into action. She lifted her hand and-" he clapped his hands together for the sound effect. "Bam! I was smacked to the wall."  
  
"Telekinetic," Bruce said, reading a file under the category.  
  
"Tele- who?"  
  
"Telekinetic. Describe the different characteristics she had." Bruce seemed to ignore the confused reaction Terry was having.  
  
Terry slid off the bed, groaning as he went. Bruce was getting something and had his curiosity. He stood behind the old man, reading the screen. "Well, like I said, she threw me across the room with a single movement of her hand and picked a disk up with same movement." He paused, thinking of the small fight he had. "Uhm, when I cloaked so she couldn't see me, she kicked my butt saying she could see me. Her eyes turned gold then. Her moves were incredible. All delicate and perfect, like she knew what she was doing without a thought."  
  
"Feral of some kind."  
  
"Feral?"  
  
"Feral. Anything else?"  
  
Terry thought a bit longer. "Not that I know of." A screen was brought up after Bruce put the data in. "A telekinetic feral?"  
  
"Sure. She possess the DNA," as he spoke a DNA strand came to view. "As a child, she was probably tested on or her parents are New Mutants. You don't hear of them much." Bruce's fingers glided over the keyboard. "New Mutants went down and away from the public because of others that treat them like dirt. I'll try and find something more about your friend."  
  
"I've never heard them at all." Terry leaned on the chair.  
  
"Point proven. It would seem you have a new friend to get to know," he said, turning to meet Terry's eyes. 


	2. Batman Beyond: Moral & Fatal Destruction...

-Chapter TWO-  
  
*~*Apartment 105*~*  
  
"You ran into the Batman?"  
  
"Like, no way!"  
  
The girl ignored the comments her roommates made. She stripped the black mask off, letting her long brown hair flow over black suit. "Help me get this suit off. He did a number to my side." She felt a pair of hands grab her boots as she sat on the bed. Another unsnapped her belt just as the disk fell on the floor.  
  
"You got it," Diane Black, the leader of the group said from taking the girl's boots off. She bent down to pick it up. "How much?"  
  
"Only two hundred. But that's what the kid got me. I'll try again," she gasped, unzipping the front of her black suit. "Tomorrow." Standing, the girl went to the long mirror. Jewels Jones, the prep of the group walked in front of her, bending down to eye level of the bruise. The girl carefully slid out of the suit, leaving her in her purple bra and panties.  
  
"Yep. That'll like, hurt for a couple days," she said, standing to match her height.  
  
"I know," she groaned, noting the size of it. After exchanging glances with Jewel's green eyes, she turned to meet Diane's piercing blue eyes. "I'm sorry. But it's all I could get. He's a fighter."  
  
"It's okay. Shower. I'll log it into our bank accounts tonight," she said, turning to the computer.  
  
That's how it was every night. She never yelled at them. Only told them to shower while she did her job at the computer. The girl watched their leader a little longer, then went to the showers.  
  
"Like, you're not mad, are you?" Jewels asked, flipping her blond hair.  
  
"I'm not mad. She did what she could. I'll hold us for another month then we'll need more money," was all she said. It was evident they were poor. Smart but poor. Diane turned her blue eyes to meet the pair starring at her. She breathed in through her nose, pushing her short black hair behind her ear. "We'll make it."  
  
"It's, like, not just that," Jewels said, dropping her head. She looked at her fingers, letting the spark of electricity visibly run through them before balling her fist for the sparks to stop. "Like, it's hard to get around. Not being able to wear the fashions or like, being ourselves. Totally bumming."  
  
"I know." Diane stood, removing her bathrobe. "But that's why we're together. We could take out a lot of Gothem. But we're not. We decided to live normal lives and use our powers cautiously. But right now, we have a high school girl that needs her sleep."  
  
"You're totally right Diane. Let's not cause worry to Alex."  
  
Diane climbed into the opposite bed of Jewels, pulling the covers over her chest. "When Alex comes in, turn the lights out." Diane rolled over, facing Jewels who was sitting up.  
  
Jewels sighed. Their lives as New Mutants was not as fun as she planned for it to be. They met all in the state of California. Well, everyone but herself, who caught Diane's eye when she electrocuted the bank vault open. Promising to stay together, the three girls were always there for each other and whenever they had a disagreement, Diane used her telempathic abilities to calm their emotions down. Jewel's thought process stopped when she heard the shower head turn off. She slid over in the bed, making room for the high school girl.  
  
"Thanks for waiting up," Alexis Stone said, after braiding her hair in a ponytail and slipping her night clothes on.  
  
"No problem. Like, good night."  
  
"Night."  
  
*~*School, Next Morning*~*  
  
"Sway!" Max said, skipping a few steps ahead. "A New Mutant?"  
  
"Yeah, but don't advertise it all around," Terry said, grabbing her waving arms. He told everything to Max. Then again, she was the only one who found out about him and would know what he was saying. His back ached more today then it did that night from the collision with the wall. And grabbing Max's arm's didn't help it either.  
  
"Ooo, yeah. Sorry about that. So, what did you get up on her? Anything useful? Like her name? Maybe she's a student here!" Max said, getting excited. She looked around, clinging to a wall and putting her hands together like a gun from James Bond.  
  
Terry rolled his eyes. "Max. You're making a fool of yourself."  
  
"But that's so exciting. Real sway, if you know what I mean." Max winked, stopping at her locker.  
  
That's why Terry liked Max in weird type of way. She was always there to cheer him up with her cocky outbursts. He leaned against the locker, heaving a sigh. "Maybe sway, but it hurt," he groaned, trying to stretch his back.  
  
"Terry?" Dana came around, placing her hand on Terry's muscular shoulder. "You okay?"  
  
He gave a smile to Max then turned to face his girlfriend. "Yeah, my back's sore."  
  
"Poor baby," she said, pecking him on the cheek.  
  
Max watched them walk in class together. She smiled, looking around the halls.  
  
A group of jocks laughed as they continued to harass two girls. "What's wrong? Can't take a joke?" the bully of them said as he knocked down the books in both of their hands.  
  
"Don't do this," was all the taller one warned.  
  
"Why not?" they consistently nagged.  
  
The girl bit on her back teeth, holding the infuriating anger she had. "Alice, go. I'll take care of this." The younger one with light brown hair slid away from the attention and ran down the hallway, her plaid skirt bouncing as she went. Picking her books up, she squatted to gather the paper that fell out of it. It was then she got the maddest. From her spaghetti strapped shirt, she felt a hand find her bra strap and give a yank. It snapped, causing her to wince from the pain. "No, you just didn't," she hissed, turning to face him. Her eyes narrowing as she threw her books down.  
  
The jocks laughed about it, watching the one squirm.  
  
She grabbed him by the collar, making a swift jerk and slammed him against the wall. Getting two inches from his face, she let her eyes turn gold, enjoying the fear in his eyes. The more he squirmed, the more she grinned. Her eyes turned back to solid brown. "Now you leave me alone," she hissed in a low voice then tossed him at the jock's feet.  
  
"H-h-h-her e-e-eyes!" he stuttered, trying to stand. "F-f-f-freak!" he scrambled away, turning the corner quickly. The jocks got silent, watching her glare at them all.  
  
"A freak, eh?" one said, moving to her side. "Tell me pretty freaky lady, you turn me on." He reached his hand behind her, grabbing her butt.  
  
In reaction she jumped, her elbow accelerating at a speed of light that crushed against his rib case. She watched him fall on the ground, coughing and wheezing. The others around her became silent. The one she dropped was the heaviest and most likely the strongest one of all. She realized her mistake.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" the principal of the school asked, coming to the center with Alice trembling by his side. He eyed the jocks then eyed the girl and jock wheezing below her. "What happen here?" he asked, watching the guy unable to breath.  
  
The girl bent down to pick her books up. She knew she literally cracked a rib but didn't say anything. After collecting her stuff, she stood, straightening the brown flowing skirt she had on. "It was an accident," she said softly, becoming a little scared of the consequence.  
  
"Accident my foot!" the leader stepped in the center. "This girl totally knocked the air out of him. Her elbow went flying into his chest, probably breaking the bone while she was at. Like nothing I ever saw before!" he exclaimed.  
  
"You're telling me she caused this?" the principal said.  
  
"It's true!" the group said. They all spoke at once, making it difficult for the principal to hear. "Freak!" "Minding our own business!" "Crushed him!" "Eyes turned golden!"  
  
"Stop it! Quiet!" The principal looked at her then the jock who was trying to breath. "Young lady, come with me." He turned to the group, pointing two out. "Get him. Come on."  
  
In the office, she sat in the chair, glancing at the three jocks with her.  
  
"What's your name, young lady?" the principal asked, looking through the computer.  
  
"Alexis Stone, sir," she said quietly.  
  
"This isn't over," hissed on jock.  
  
Turning to him, she let the grin slip. "It's far from over," she lipped back at him, not speaking a word. Alexis watched the action of the jocks. They thought they had someone who was a chicken; they were wrong. Alexis was ready to meet their match. Her quick temper would win any battle. She was ready.  
  
"Hello, is there a Mrs. Black?" the principal asked, as he spoke on the phone. He twisted his chair around so his back was towards them. Within seconds, he turned back around, acknowledging for the two jocks to return to class.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"The boy. We'll start with the boy and little by little tear this Bat down until he can't survive," the deep haunty voice spoke. It was the same deep voice in the unnoticed sewer.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
School was out and Batman was at the petty crimes again. He was getting sick of stopping muggers. Tonight's crime was a bit bigger. He wasn't sure whether to attack or gawk. A girl, tall, slim, blond hair and no mask, was at the electricity plant. She had her hands waving towards the wires and absorbed the electricity like a sponge. In reaction, the electricity in the city was blinking like crazy. "What do I do?" he spoke in the small speaker in his mask.  
  
"Stop her," Bruce's voice came back. "I'm looking at the visual in from what you see. I'd say we have ourselves another New Mutant. This one has the symptoms of a Electric Elemental. In other words one that absorbs and shoots electricity and-" the speaker was cut off.  
  
Batman took his cue and made a plunge at her. He knew this would hurt if she attacked him but now was time to see how his reflexes worked. Batman's gloved fingers gripped her shoulders as he landed on his feet then jerked her down. "City needs that," he said with his black cut out eyes glaring. He watched her roll over with gasping pains.  
  
"That was, like, probably the worst mistake any damn bat in tights could make," she said in an angered voice. The girl stood, dusting her blue jean flares off then straightened her long sleeved red sweater. Pushing her blond hair behind her shoulder, she rolled her hands over each other. Bright blue sparks came from her fingertips as a ball of electricity took form. "What do you think?"  
  
He looked around desperately for something. Making a dive and roll to one side, he watched the electricity fly from her fingers and collide with a tree, singeing it. "Whoa," he whispered. It was then he turned to see a ball fry the electronics in his suit and make him wince and twitch with pain. Batman let out a gasp of pain and fell to the ground. He heard her walk over, watched her stop, felt her ready to strike. His body was in no condition to stand or move.  
  
"Like, I thought you'd be a better match. Then again, you didn't like, do much damage to my sister but give her a damn bruise on her hip."  
  
Batman barely lifted his head to see her walking away. He made himself climb to his feet then took the bat-a-rang and gave it a hard throw at her along with two balls that had a wire attached to them to tie around her legs. He also made a dive behind one of the machinery so keep out of her sight. "I can use some help," he whispered in his speaker.  
  
"Turn ... on ... Can't ... visual ..." a fuzzy sounding Bruce came through.  
  
He flipped the visual on then peered over at her. She couldn't possibly see him for he hid in the shadows. The blond was holding her shoulder with one hand and the device with the other while her ankles were tied together with the wire. "Got her," he whispered.  
  
"I rebooted your systems in your suit and the computer in the cave," Bruce reported.  
  
"Great. Now how do I get her without killing myself in the process?" he asked, sounding a bit desperate. Batman ducked back down for a second to catch his breath. "Wish me luck." He rose to attack, but she was gone. The wire and the bat-a-rang were there, but she was gone. He walked out to where she had been sitting. "Gone," he reported in his speaker. He picked his devices up.  
  
Still troubled, Terry parked his car in the garage of his home. He couldn't help notice another car parked outside. A black Cherokee jeep with white streaks. Throwing his book bag and coat on the couch, he winced. His elbow was scrapped bad. "Dangit," he moaned, wondering to the bathroom. He stopped outside Max's door when he heard a voice.  
  
"You had your snack already. It's time for you to go to sleep," a female voice spoke. It was too familiar.  
  
"But Alex-" Matt's whiney voice followed after.  
  
"Good night," she responded.  
  
He heard the bed springs sound notifying she stood. Terry thought about hiding then he figured he wanted to confront Miss Perfect for intruding in his apartment. He watched her back out of the room and shut the door. She gave a gasp when meeting him inches from his glaring eyed face. Terry didn't move. The questions on her presence crammed in his mind as he stuffed his hands in his jean pockets.  
  
"What are you doing here?" was the first to break the silence. Alexis maneuvered round him and headed towards the kitchen. She heard him stay close behind her.  
  
"Me? What the hell are you doing here?" he replied in a harsh voice that made Alexis jump with wide eyes.  
  
"Shh. Matt is sleeping." Alexis pulled out two small perfect red apples. "Here," she gave a small toss of one to Terry who took it. "Look," she said, confronting him. "I was told to stay away from school just today because of an incident during second. While grocery shopping for me and my sisters, Ms. McGinnis was on her cell complaining to someone about needing a sitter for Matt till nine. I said I'd do it-"  
  
"And like that she accepted you?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"Well, I had to go through a stare down, a hundred questionnaire, an FBI check out, and several more tests before she said okay," Alexis explained, biting into her apple.  
  
"That sounds like Mom," Terry nodded, putting his apple down. "Well, I'm here. So you can leave now."  
  
"It's not nine."  
  
"I don't care. I'm telling you to leave. I only get the pleasure of seeing your 'kiss-ass' face once a day in Geometry class!" he blurted out with more volume then wanted or needed. It must have hit a nerve or something. Alexis stood there, her eyes tearing up. He watched her put the apple down then give a quick wash of her hands.  
  
"I'm-" Alexis had a hard time spitting out what she wanted to say.  
  
Terry kept his gaze with her. "Just leave. And don't come back. Matt doesn't need a sitter. I do it just fine," he whispered.  
  
"Maybe if you were home half of the time he needed you, your mother wouldn't have asked for somebody responsible," she whispered, keeping her head low. Alexis walked passed Terry, going to her coat. She noticed the apartment door a nudge open. Her extra senses were going crazy as she turned her head towards the bedroom hallway. It got stronger. Alexis shook it away, grabbing her coat. "Good night, Terry," she whispered, heading for the door. Something caught her eye. 


	3. Batman Beyond: Moral & Fatal Destruction...

-Chapter THREE-  
  
*~*Terry's Apartment*~*  
  
It was a note. Not a very noticeable one except the fact it was laying out on her jacket. She was limping over to it, her hip swelling with pain every time the skirt touched the bruise from the fight with Batman. Reaching for the piece of paper, she felt the tension Terry was having on her taking her time on leaving. Alexis held the note to in reading distance. "Terry," she called, turning to him.  
"I said to leave," he said, his voice low from anger.  
Alexis didn't care if wanted her to leave. She looked up at him. "Did you write this?"  
Terry, giving up on her stupidity of being perfect, walked over and snatched it. "'The mask won't hide you. The youngest McGinnis first. At the end you will lose.' No, I didn't write this. Is this some type of joke?" he started to raise his voice, throwing the paper down.  
What Terry didn't know was Alexis' feral senses were going crazy. In a case like this, her eyes would flash as her instinct kicked in. But knowing Terry was unaware of the 'uniqueness' she had, she couldn't do that. Instead she looked past him to the cracked door that belong to Matt. "Who's the youngest in the family of McGinnis?" she asked, ignoring his ignorance on blaming it on her.  
"Youngest? Matt, why?" The anger seem to slip away as he saw the worry and serious look in her eyes. Casting his eyes to where Matt's door was once closed, he felt his heart beat pick up. Terry turned to Alexis then spun around, jogging to the door that closed suddenly and locked. "Matt!" Terry jiggled the knob. "Matt!" He felt the adrenaline soar through his body with fear. "Open this door!" Terry backed up and made a running leap to it, his foot braking the door off the hinges. Terry landed inside to see the window open, the gentle breeze blowing at the curtain. The moonlight shown through on the empty bed with turned blankets. He was nearly frozen in his tracks with fear. "M-Matt!"  
Alexis slid to the side of the door, peeking around. She would be blamed for this. She knew she would. Her feral senses told her to go out the front door. She did, slowly stepping in the cold breeze. Something was there. She couldn't tell what it was. But something. Bigger then her. It made her scared. Stepping back in, she saw the worried look on Terry she never saw before. "I don't know what to say except I did not have anything to do with this." She limped over, a few feet from him.  
His jaw tightened. He was silent. Terry didn't know what to think. Of course she didn't have any thing to do with it. Deep inside he knew that. "He's gone," was all he could say. "Mom will have a cow." And it was then when Mrs. McGinnis walked in with two bags of grocery.  
"Terry. Nice to have you home. I see you met the babysitter." She didn't see the looks in their eyes as she passed them and put the brown bags on the counter.  
Both students exchanged looks.  
"Matt's in bed, right?" the mother asked, handing a few dollars to Alexis.  
"I can't accept this," Alexis said, her eyes tearing. She didn't know how to explain this.  
"Why?"  
"Mom, I think you'd better sit down." Terry walked her over the sofa with Alexis sitting on the other side of her. "I know you're not going to believe this but-" Terry fumbled around with his words. There was no way he could tell her Matt was kidnapped under both of their noses.  
"What Terry's trying to say is I had put Matt to bed." Alexis looked away, checking her feral senses for anything wrong. Nothing. They could have kicked in anytime to make her leave on short notice; or more of, she had hoped.  
"Had?" her motherly concerned voice came out. She instantly got up, escaping the grasping of hands from the two students. "I want to see him."  
Terry watched her go to the room. He breathed in deeply. "You had better go. This could get ugly." Terry saw the look on Alexis face. "Don't worry. And I'm sorry for getting so mad earlier. You're not exactly making me look too hot in class. And this whole thing tonight.." his voice drifted off.  
"I'm glad to see we're on the same side, this time. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Let me know how she takes it." Alexis grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. "If you get the nerves to tell her. My number is on the fridge. Matt wrote it. If you wanna talk," she added before leaving.  
He leaned back as his mother came out. "Mom, there's something I need to tell you." Her eyes were already teared and fear swirled around them.  
  
*~*Cave*~*  
  
Bruce was furiously working. He had gone back to when Terry was fighting the first New Mutant. Taking the picture of when he fought the feral, he went through the scenes till she was 'picture perfect'. "Gotcha," he said, beginning to type some things in. A grid covered the girl's face as the black mask was stripped away. "Let's fill you in." The phone rang as the picture was being generated. Bruce slid his chair over, grabbing the receiver. "Wayne," he spoke, running the girl's face on the database of people at Gothem once it was whole.  
"It's Terry. I need to come over."  
"It's almost nine-thirty." Bruce heard the ushering cries of Terry's mother in the background. "Terry, what's wrong?" he asked, sensing something worse then just wanting a visit. A file of the girl came up. Saving it and waiting for a response, he went to the other New Mutant who Terry fought the next day.  
Muffling the tears, Terry spoke again. "I-I just need to come o- over," he said, obviously fighting the outburst of crying.  
Bruce may have had a cold heart, but he did know when Terry needed a man to speak to. And to hear him almost cry made Bruce worry even more. "Come on over." He hung the phone up and continued to find the file on the blond that came up.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was a long tube that was measured for the average human. A small boy stood, nearly lifeless inside it. His tiny feet were planted to the ground as he stood with head raised slightly and eyes closed. His tiny fingers were relaxed and out inches from his body. "Matt McGinnis," the voice in the unnoticed sewer. "It was almost too easy. Soon I will have him and the old blooded bat at my feet." He roared with a haunting laughter.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"What do you mean?" Diane asked her young teammate again. She leaned over the chair while Alexis' was working on her Geometry. "A brake-in at the house you were suppose to be babysitting?" Diane just couldn't believe the thief would get away with Alexis' feral abilities.  
"I felt," she said, looking completely at the leader. "I felt like it was something way bigger then I had ever felt before. It was different. Larger. More powerful. I dunno. I really can't explain it," she said, doing her paper again.  
Diane put her chair back on all four legs again.  
The middle teammate walked in from doing a little window shopping. She dropped the four large bags and two boxes of shoes on the floor with exhaustion. The look from the leader's eyes told her shopping would waste money. "What? Like, these were all on sale?" the blond quickly said. "Great priced skirt and matching top for four ninety-nine," she pulled out a long jean skirt and a brown sweater like material belly shirt. It was something only Jewels would wear. Taking her bags, she headed for the closet. "So Alex, like, how was that job on the first night?"  
"Great. The kid was kidnapped right under me and Terry's nose before we could blink our eyes," Alexis grumbled, writing down a number.  
"Oh! Like guess what?" Jewels obviously didn't hear the grumble Alexis had said or she wouldn't have been so rude to change the subject. The other two girls knew that as well. Laying on her stomach, on her and Alexis' bed, Jewels propped her upper body with her elbows. Her blond hair fell around her face. "I needed a power surge tonight and Batman tried to stop me!" She gained both girls' attention. "Isn't that like, rad?"  
"Sure," Diane rolled her eyes with a smile. She went to her computer and began typing some things in. "The boy Alexis was suppose to watch over was kidnapped." Diane told Jewels. "Alexis couldn't stop this one. She said it was beyond her power."  
"Like, wow!" Jewels said, her eyes twinkling. She was wanting a fight that would challenge her. Maybe this one would. "What will happen now?"  
Diane finished typing then turn around. "Well, Alexis will go back to school-"  
"I'm suspended. Or more of expelled," she butted in.  
"Not anymore." Diane grinned her way. She had always been a computer code cracking geek. "So, you'll go to school. Talk to Terry and find out what you can on him. Something tells me there's a little more to this boy then what meets the eye. Oh, is he still blaming you for everything that could possibly go wrong?"  
"Actually no. Because of this incident, you might call me his buddy now," Alexis wrote her last math figure down and began working it out, showing the work as the teacher wanted it done.  
"Amazing." Diane looked at Jewels. "You and I are going to do a little investigation. I assume the McGinnis' home will be empty for the time being tomorrow while the mother's trying to work to keep her missing son off her mind and Terry will be struggling at school."  
"It'll be hard for me to talk to him. He's got a girlfriend and best friend there," Alexis added, making a highlighted mark over the answer. She went over all the answers, checking them and then highlighting them. Sticking the sheet in her notebook so it wasn't folded, Alexis put the book and notebook in her purple book bag. She slid her copper brown colored thin rimmed reading glasses in the case and put that away as well.  
"You're a girl that's like, now on his side and has something like, in common with him now. You'll like, find a way." That was Jewels for you. Always looking at it the positive way. Her positive way always seemed to fall on the fact girls are sexy and have their ways.  
  
*~*Cave*~*  
  
Terry dropped his head in his hands. He was having so much pity on himself, he didn't see the screen above that Bruce wanted to share. He bit his lip, breathing in slowly. His mind was slightly confused on what to do and who to tell. "That new girl was over when I got home from fighting that blond," he started, looking at the floor still. More of, gazing at the floor with sudden interest. "She was babysitting Matt when I yelled at her to go home." Terry looked up, wanting sympathy from the old man, but got none as he had his back to Terry the whole time, studying the computer instead. "She found a note," he pulled the note out he picked up before coming to the Wayne Mansion and uncrumpled it.  
That's when Bruce did turn around. He knew Terry was suffering from self-pity and didn't share any sympathy at all. Though, he did feel kind of bad for the new girl Terry spoke of. "'The mask won't hide you. The youngest McGinnis first. At the end you will lose.' Hmm, it seems to say that the Bat mask won't keep you hidden from the outside force. But why he took your brother, I don't know. And he plans on killing you at the end." Bruce put the note down. "I'd take fingerprints but you and Alexis Stone have smudged it already." Bruce spun back around in his swivel chair.  
"Yeah I can see that you care how I feel right now," Terry shot at him.  
Bruce didn't budge from his seat. "I was doing a search on your two girlfriends here and they both have something in common," he changed the subject, knowing how quick-tempered Terry got.  
"Bruce! What are you doing?! I'm in agony from the loss of my brother and you're worried about those freaks!" Terry stood up, balling his fist.  
"Terry sit down," Bruce said calmly. "Stop having pity over yourself."  
"What?!" With one hard jerk, he grabbed the top of the chair and spun it to face him. "How can you be so cold hearted?!"  
"I said to sit down! If you would stop wallowing in your tears, you'd see this new girl can help you find your brother and you'd see the pain your mother is in! She loves Matt more then you will ever! She gave birth to him and you're crying about your loss! Grow up Terry!" Bruce spit out. Not in anger, but to get through to the teenager.  
Terry swallowed. He was in shock Bruce yelled at him. But that got him more mad. He watched Bruce spin around, once again, his back towards him. He did feel a bit guilty about his mother's loss. With a thump, he dropped down to the chair. "I-I'm sorry," he said barely above a whisper.  
"Alexis Stone, there's more to her then what meets the eye." It wasn't that he didn't hear him. But he didn't like apologies given or receiving. Turning halfway to the teenager, he made sure he was paying attention. And Terry was. Fully. "Say hello to your New Mutant new girl friend."  
Terry's eyes were glued to the screen. He got up, standing behind the chair that Bruce sat up. A large picture of a girl, long brown hair, brown eyes, stared back at him. It was of Alexis, the new girl, the babysitter, the one who saw the note. He squinted, reading the information given. "Not much given on her."  
"But enough. She's half feral and very telekinetic. Her eyes pick up anyone that's cloaked or a mile away that's breathing. You're invisibility cloak that night was useless to her eyes. She's got half of the fighting skill of a regular feline feral would have." Bruce saw the confusion Terry gave him. "Cat like instincts. Because she's only half, she doesn't have the full concentration that a full feral has."  
Terry was following along on reading what Bruce read aloud. He then watched a screen pop up. "Who's that?" he asked, looking at the blond.  
"Jewels Jones. A New Mutant. The one you fought earlier tonight. She's an Electric Elemental. Meaning," he said quickly before Terry could question the name. "Meaning, she can emit electricity up to 100 hertz." He chuckled adding, "she was only being nice to you tonight."  
"Yeah, I bet," Terry said amazed.  
"And she can absorb electricity. The amount she absorbed tells me the DNA strand that controls her electricity supply is weak and needs fueling. I looked up the last time a power drainage happened which was last month. So I'm assuming every month, Jewels has to recharge herself to stay alive." Bruce had a feeling there were more New Mutants involved but didn't know where to start on finding them.  
Terry rubbed his hands together. "I think I'll be going to school tomorrow to have a little chat with Alexis." He read over Jewels' information again. "Where do these New Mutants come from? I mean how did they come to be .. New Mutants?"  
"Either two ways." Bruce typed up a file he previously had saved. "By birth of their parents or by experimentation. Most likely the experimentation as a child. Having their DNA tampered with."  
"That's cruel," Terry whispered. He had a small, microscopic sympathy spot in his heart for Alexis. But not much. He still didn't trust her. That much. Terry grabbed his coat. "Bruce, I'm heading home. I have a mother that needs my support right now."  
Bruce looked at Terry. "I'll keep a lookout for anything on your brother, Terry." He watched Terry leave then pick the note up again. Not mentioned in records, he once had a note somewhat like this. He wasn't sure it was the same one though. Bruce stood, grabbing his cane and wobbled to the stairs. "Come Ace," he called to his dog. The police dog's long nailed paws were heard as he walked over to the old man. Bruce, slowly, but surely made his way up the stairs. "I'm not getting any younger and those stairs getting even harder to climb." He felt the warm licking of Ace's tongue on his hand. "Thanks boy. Let's see what we can find for Terry, okay?"  
He made his way to a file cabinet in a far room that was used for the memory of his parents. He pull out a manila folder and opened it. "Not this one." Bruce thumbed through the folders, finding them getting blurry. "I think it's time I got glasses," he mumbled. Staring hard at one label, pulled it out. "Here it is." Bruce pulled the love letter out he received many, many, many years ago. "'Your life is coming soon. The mask will soon decay. I'll strip you of your close ones. And at the end, you will bow to me or die.' I like Terry's letter better. It's a lot more friendlier." But with a lead, he stood up.  
Bruce got himself in his bed. Though, he couldn't sleep. He feared what was happening to the young boy's life. "If Terry gets hurt, I'll find the author of those notes and personally rip his heart out with my own hands," he swore. He didn't usually let his emotions get the best of him like this. But deep inside, Bruce did care for Terry. He was like a son he never had. 


End file.
